theisen



y 29, 1952 A. A. THEISEN LIGHTER FOR POT-TYPE OIL BURNERS Filed April 17, 1950 INVENTOR.

n m e m. A W m H A Fig.

Patented July 29,

, UNITED, STATES TENT c nder:-

2,604,922- lgiaiirriit' mirror-TYPE on; scans-its Andrew A. Theisen, Brain'erd, Minn-.-

Application Apia-17, 1956, Serial No: 156,395?

whims: (cuss- This invention relates to safety-type torches and lighters such --as utilize extensible and with drawable wicks",- plunger'm'eans 'for operating the same and snufiingme'a-ns for'exting-uishirrgthe flame from the wick *wh'enthelatter is-withdrawn into its snuifing means. More particularlyihow ever, the invention has-to-do with an oil igniting or lighting torch with suitable reach facilities, whereby theinstrumentality may be-used"with' requisite 'efiiciency and safety ina-pplyingastarting flame to oil in so-ca-lled pot-type-oil burners.

There are, of courseimany forms-ofpot type oil burners in use. One popular type-is thewell known Hollandgravity-feed 'oilburner. This embodies an oil trappingand burning pot at the bottom of the' combustion chamber, the oil pilot and oil in the pot being accessible-byway of a circular front door in-thecasing. -In-lighting burners of this type reasonable care and precaution must necessarily be exercised to minimize accidentally starting a residential fire. All sorts of make-shift devices are used and some employ a wad of Waste material andothers utilize folded newspapers, and tissues and the'like- There has long existed a needfor simple, practical and suitable igniter or lighter which, while primarily adapted for use by. the owner of the burner is equally well adaptedffor use byservice men.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a burner lighter in which manufacturers, retailers and users will find their essential needs fully met, contained and satisfactorily available.

A further object is to, obviously, keep the burner parts effectively clean by doing away with ashes from matches and paper so often used in lighting such burners.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on a pot lighter which has a readily operable and removable wick on a simple plunger rod and which wick serve to retain the oil charge for a considerable length of time permitting the wick to be used over and over without refueling.

Furthermore, novelty is predicated on a lighter which is safe in that the plunger may be controlled when the wick-end is within the confines of the pot and which is such that the flame can be extinguished immediately after the burner is lit.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1' isa' 'per'spectiv view of a pot-type burner lighter or torch constructed in accord ance with the principles of the resent: inven tion;

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, on an enlarged scale, serves to bring out the details and-theirconstruction and associated arrangement a I Figure 3' is a cross sectionon the-line 3 -3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows j and,

Figure-Lisa fragmentary erspeeuveview; also on a large scale, wh' ich shows -the specifi'c com struction of the -Wick*h'ead -onthe plunger rod? Referring now to the-diawingsby-referencenumerals and accompanying lead linesit will be seen that the over-all instrumentality ischaracterized primarily by a-handle-unit-5* on the one hand and a plunger uni-t 8-jonthe other hand.

The-majorcentral portionmfthe hand-1e unit is ahollbw tube-whih is imeariy straigh't fro'm end to end asatlfis At one en'd the-tube-is provided with a sh'ortlateral bend l2 carryingan appropriate handgrip -It i s"'to-be notedthat the hand grip is perma ently attached T t6 the tube'and effects a--;clo's reforthe adjacent end of the tube. The 'omo'os it'e' orwo'rk ing endof -the tube islateralIy bent at 16 0n a-n approximate obtuse angle -todfi"ea wick housing andsnu'ff ing-cylinder I 8? T e 'ext'r me odies-end d the cylinder is of flaredor bell-like form as shown at 20. Just to the right of the bend l6 the body portion of the handle is provided with an oblique guide opening 22 in approximate axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder l8 as shown in Figure 2. The cylinder and hole therefore provide an ideal mount for the relatively short plunger unit 8. The latter unit comprises a linearly straight and rigid plunger rod 24 which has its normally projecting and exposed end portion 26 formed with a push-pull ring 28. The opposite end portion of the rod is flattened as at 38 to provide a blade-like accommodation head for the asbestos ignition wick 32. The strands which go to make up the wick are located about the head 3i! in the orderly fashion shown and are tied or otherwise anchored in keeper notches 34 and 36 provided in said head.

It is to be noted that the plunger rod 24 is of a length considerably less than the overall length of the tube, that the ring is of a diameter greater than the plunger rod and is at right angles to the axis of the rod and that the end portion l2 projects well beyond the ring, whereby to function as a reach member.

In use the user has to swing the usual circular or discoidal spring closed door (not shown) open and hold it open by hand or otherwise. Prior thereto, however, the plunger rod may be projected slightly to cause a small end portion of the wick to protrude so that it may be ignited with a match. When the wick is partly projected and lit the peculiar shape of the body portion 10 and hand grip I2 permit the user to reach nicely through the door down into the pot to apply the flame to the oil in the pot. By using the push-pull ring 28 as a sort of an abutment and by placing it against the innerside of the door frame, say close to the surrounding perimeter of the door opening and then pulling outwardly on the hand grip M, the plunger serves to project the lighted wick to the position desired for endcient and safe results. The same push-pull ring 28 may be placed against the exterior side of the rim around the door opening (not shown) and the handle may be utilized to force or press the plunger and wick back to a retracted position where the wick will be extinguished, in an obvious fashion.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 7

1. A lighter for a pot-type oil burner comprising a tube provided at one end with a hand grip and at the opposite end with a cylinder, said cylinder being laterally offset with its longitudinal axis being at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube, said tube having a plunger rod guide opening adjacent to said cylinder, a plunger rod mounted for reciprocation on said tube, one end portion of said plunger rod being passed through said guide opening and extending into said cylinder, a wick mounted on said end portion of said plunger rod, the opposite end portion of said plunger rod projecting o0 outwardly beyond said tube at the point of con- 4 tact with the latter and being accessibly exposed and assuming a position at an acute angle relative to the tube, said plunger rod having an actuator ring on said last recited end whereby said plunger rod may be selectively manipulated.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, wherein the free end of said cylinder is of a greater diameter than the remaining portion of the cylinder and the diameter of the wick, whereby the wick may be readily extendedandretr'acted.

3. A lighter for a pot-type oil burner comprising a tube imperforate at one end portion, a hand grip permanently attached to and closing the end at said one end portion, the opposite end portion of said tube having a cylinder, said cylinder being laterally offset with its longitudinal axis being at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said tube, said tube adjacent the junctural connection with said cylinder having an oblique plunger rod guide opening, a rigid plunger rod linearly straight from end to end slidably mounted in said guide opening, one end portion of said plunger rod extending axially into said cylinder, a wick mounted on said one end portion and operable in said cylinder, the opposite end portion of said Plunger rod extending outwardly and clear of said tube, and assuming a position in acute angular relationship in respect to said tube and terminating in a pushpull ring, said ring being of a diameter appreciably greater than the diameter of said plunger rod and being at right angles to the axis of said plunger rod.

4. The structure specified in claim 3, said plunger rod being of a length considerably less than the overall length of said tube, the first named end portion of said tube extending well beyond said ring thus permitting the tube to serve as a reach member.

ANDREW A. THEISEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,496,028 Scott June 3, 1924 2,393,508 Anderson Jan. 22, 1946 2,480,709 Brown Aug. 30, 1949 2,507,456 Ransdell May 9, 1950 

